From left to right, Essie (Jenny Liese), Ed ( Aidan Cleary Davis), Henderson (Rick Thompson). Seated: Grandpop (Jeff Larsen). Photo by Kim Rannacher
North Beach, MD – The Twin Beach Players (TBP) presents the George Kauffman-Moss Hart three-act comedy, You Can’t Take It With You, by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. as the second production of its 19th season. Directed by Cathy Diggle, the play runs through April 9th at the Boys and Girls Club located at 9021 in North Beach.
General Admission tickets are $15; members, student and senior tickets are $12 ticket. For ticket information you may contact www.twinbeachplayers.org or (410)286-1890.
Director Diggle says in her program notes that “the match with the talent of this group of actors makes it a perfect fit for the Twin Beach Players. It has been a pleasure working with all the cast, crew and production staff.” And indeed, Diggle has crafted a fine ensemble; each actor is an ideal fit for his or her particular role.
Act I introduces the audience to nine of the 18 cast members in just the very first scene. Penelope Sycamore, the mom, (Rachel Clites Cruz) has been writing plays for the past eight years (not counting the first two years when she was learning to type). Her career as a playwright began when a typewriter was mistakenly delivered to her doorstep. She works at her typewriter in her corner “office” in the living room. It is perfectly clear that Ms. Cruz, as Penny, is totally in charge of running the household. Rachel is the current Vice-President of TBP, and Penny marks her first appearance as an actor with the group.
Penny is married to Paul Sycamore (Frank Antonio) who reads Trotsky in the bathroom and makes fireworks in the basement assisted by Mr. De Pinna (Sid Curl). Mr. De Pinna is part of the Sycamore household; he was an ice-man who came to the house eight years ago and never left. Mr. Curl does not merely play the role of Mr. De Pinna—he is Mr. De Pinna. As a skilled actor, he completely immerses himself in his character’s psyche evidenced by his posture and vocal delivery. Mr. Curl is celebrating 50 years onstage and designed the set for this current TBP production.
The childish daughter, Essie, is always busy practicing her ballet steps (although she is a truly terrible dancer) or making candies. Jenny Liese captures the naiveté and effervescence of this ballerina “wannabe” as she pirouettes on tippy toes through the living room and through all three acts. (This is Jenny’s seventh role with TBP; she was recently seen as Marianne in The Miser. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies from UNLC in Las Vegas). Essie is married to Ed (Aidan Cleary Davis) who plays the xylophone to accompany her dancing (I especially enjoyed his rendition of Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”) and also just because he likes to do it. Ed is a printer and prints up dinner menus and little quotes he fancies and includes these fliers in Essie’s candies that he distributes to the neighborhood. He also likes to design masks. Essie and Ed make an appealing, quirky couple. (Mr. Davis has been seen with TBP as Giles Ralston in The Mousetrap, Valere in The Miser, and as Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He demonstrates his versatility as an actor and as a musician with his role as Ed.)
The maid Rheba (Aaliyah Roach) dates Donald (Tyler Vaughn) who is the family’s volunteer handyman. He presents her with a jar of flies as a gift in Act I. Aaliyah is a TBP veteran and is credited in the program notes with asking Mr. Vaughn to join the group. Their sensible characterizations provide a strong, stable contrast to the over-the-top personalities of the members of the household.
And then there is Grandpop, eccentric Martin Vanderhoff (Jeff Larsen), who keeps snakes in a crate in the living room, loves to attend graduations (anyone’s, anytime, anywhere) and who has never paid income tax. Mr. Larsen has taught theatre arts at several high schools and is a TBP veteran, having appeared in The Mousetrap, The Sunshine Boys, and Noises Off. His bio notes state that he recognizes he has been living a life that eerily mirrors that of Martin Vanderhoff. Perhaps that is the reason for his deft on-target performance.
Alice Sycamore (Amy Prieto) is the only “normal” member of the family. She has an office job on Wall Street and is dating the boss’ son, Tony Kirby (Joshua Scott). Ms. Prieto is performing in her third TBP production; previous shows include Noises Off and Rumors. Audiences will immediately remember her for her warm, mellow voice quality. The role of the ingénue, Alice, seems a natural fit for her.
On this particular night, Alice announces to the household that a young gentleman is going to come calling for her (Tony). They will be going to the Monte Carlo Ballet. Will the family please oblige by being on good behavior when he arrives, she wants to know?
Essie has casually mentioned to Grandpop that she’s misplaced his letters from the US Government. When the doorbell rings, it’s not Tony, but Tax Investigator William Henderson (a startled Rick Thompson) who quickly ID’s himself to correct the case of mistaken identity. The look of utter confusion crossing Mr. Thompson’s face upon the instant of his entrance, combined with the audience’s reaction to his reaction, is absolutely priceless, and generated one of the biggest laughs of the entire evening from the audience on the night I attended. Mr. Thompson’s modest bio notes state that this is his sixth TBP production. He is well-known in the Southern Maryland area for his onstage performances and backstage technical expertise. He is the sound effects designer for this play.
Grandpop tells Henderson that he refuses to pay his decades-worth of back taxes or the penalty. Ed begins to play a Saint-Saens melody on the xylophone while Paul explodes another firework in the basement. Henderson is spooked by the snakes and exits, promising to return.
Tony finally arrives with a bouquet of flowers for Alice. He is promptly offered a fresh tomato from Grandpop, and candy from Penny. Alice has changed clothes (Ms. Pietro is beautifully costumed throughout the evening) and whisks Tony away for their date. Boris Kolenkhov (Kevin McAndrews) is the Russian dance instructor who arrives for an impromptu visit. (Mr. McAndrews’ Russian accent is a highlight of this show.
In Scene 2, Alice and Tony return from their date and declare their love for each other while Mr. Sycamore continues his explosions in the basement. Alice agrees to marry Tony in spite of her family’s idiosyncrasies. Mr. Scott is especially effective in this scene as the patient, persistent lover. Tony leaves only after securing Alice’s promise to meet him at the drugstore the next morning before work, then for lunch, and then for dinner.
This play premiered on Broadway in 1936; it ran for 838 performances and won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Audiences have adored the onstage antics of the Vanderhoff-Sycamore-Carmichael clan for decades; You Can’t Take It With You enjoyed its most recent Broadway revival just two years ago. And who wouldn’t be attracted to this wacky collection of characters? In her “Message From the President” program notes, Kate Harrison states “The eccentric Sycamore family allows each member to pursue his own ambition in the home, but their routine is disrupted when daughter Alice attempts to bring her fiancé and his Wall Street family to dinner. Hilarity and chaos quickly ensue!” This is an understatement.
The TBP production crew includes Melissia Nikolaus, Lighting Technician; Cheryl Thompson, Sound Technician: Wendy Cranford, Makeup Designer; Delainey Nikolaus, Makeup Technician; Bob Snider, Musical Director; Sherry Lehnen, House Manager; Dawn Denison, Costumes; Sena Weaver, Props Master; and Vivian Petersen, Graphics.
The remaining performances of You Can’t Take It With You are likely to be sold out. You certainly won’t want to miss this talented TBP ensemble bring this classic play to life. Here’s what you will be able to take home with you: remembrances of lots and lots of laughter.
